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A quietly common notion

This is one of those things that persistently comes up quietly...almost casually, but all too often. Someone will suggest or state something like "I like to re-visit obedience once a month", or "I go back to force fetch every month or two...", "Before each training session we do some obedience work" - things like that. On discussion boards this sort of comment is pretty common, but is rarely discussed at any length. What are your thoughts on such notions?

Evan

"Prepare your dog in such a manner that the work he is normally called upon to do under-whelms him, not overwhelms him." ~ Evan Graham“People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.”

sometimes the folk just misuse words. some folk will say, when talking about a training session they had that they had to go back to FF for a bit. But if you were there and watched them, they had a drop and a fetch refusal and they used a tool in the brand new tool box they have and grabbed an ear and put the pup on the bird. Some would give it no more thought than a stick correction, others think they are back in FF.
As for OB some folks poor dogs have 2 sets of standards. 1 for home life every day and 1 for the every other Saturday training group. And the pup needs to revisit with thumps and leash and juice, to be able to do the task for the group. Then goes back to king of the roost until the next group. So they do revisit OB. Instead of living it. I have been guilty.

"So what is big is not always the Trout nor the Deer but the chance, the being there. And what is full is not necessarily the creel nor the freezer, but the memory." ~ Aldo Leopold

"The Greatest Obstacle to Discovery is not Ignorance -- It is the Illusion of Knowledge" ~ Daniel Boorstin

I will occasionally go back to FTP for a session or so but it is to correct a specific problem. Not just do it. I do ob as part of every training session to some degree but I generally don't go back to ob alone.

I did a separate ob session with a dog two days ago because it was to wet to get out in the fields but I introduced something new, the sit on whistle.

I came back in the house from doing something in the garage, all three dogs were sleeping away on their separte beds. I looked puzzled and my wife said "they encountered the wrath of Nana". Sometimes I will have someone else work a dog through an issue. Like one dog was apprehensive around young people (kids). So I had my grandkids do ob with the dog. So, in this instance I went back to ob to solve a specific problem.

I look at dogs sort of like 3 year old kids. OB and guiding corrections are an everyday and on going thing. Is it formal OB for me once they have it? Usually not but the again it might be, depending on what we are doing and the infraction. Usually it's a simple re-visit to a more basic step and we move forward. I like dogs that are obedient but I do understand they are still only dogs. I like to think my standards are held up in the house and in the field. More often than not, other humans around me don't feel the same way or don't understand the method to my madness. Duckdon

Regularly revisiting basic obedience, FF or similar things indicates either the dog never got it or you are not requiring the dog to honor its training. Dogs are much more creatures of habit then we are. I liked the analogy to three-year-olds. They can be just as persistent if they think there is a chance of wearing you down.

If I "go back" to something it is to correct a problem and that is what we concentrate on until said problem is corrected. We work on OB for about 5" at the beginning of every training session. I think the term "go back" is commonly misused for you general corrections that happen a time or two during a training session. Ex: after FF we had a couple of drops when she come out of the water to shake. I had to correct several times but I didn't have to "go back" to FF.

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Psalm 18:30: As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

This is one of those things that persistently comes up quietly...almost casually, but all too often. Someone will suggest or state something like "I like to re-visit obedience once a month", or "I go back to force fetch every month or two...", "Before each training session we do some obedience work" - things like that. On discussion boards this sort of comment is pretty common, but is rarely discussed at any length. What are your thoughts on such notions?

Evan

Thoughts?? Are you asking about discussing obedience because they are not discussed enough or thorough enough? Can you not ear pinch the dog on the spot when mishap occurs rather than doing FF every month?

I would not to rehash or discuss at length what several threads have covered unless it happens to be a specific problem . Dare I say use SEARCH first! Obedience can and should be incorporated into your training - walking to the line etc. And any issues as Wayne said pile work will help or other drills. IMHO